


Fireflies

by haveyouseenmymind



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Jim is a meddling idiot, Reader-Insert, cute fireflies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 20:09:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14480253
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haveyouseenmymind/pseuds/haveyouseenmymind
Summary: The doctor and the Reader are getting closer while spending some time together on an away mission, during which they run into a stunning sight.





	Fireflies

You were waiting patiently in the transporter room together with the rest of the away team for the Captain to join your group. For the last few days the crew had studied a newly discovered and yet to be named uninhabited class M planet, and as one of the ships xenobiologists it was your task to take samples of the planets diverse vegetation and collect data about the complex ecosystems.

When Jim finally arrived he was not alone, instead he was accompanied by his extremely grumpy looking best friend, the ship’s very own CMO, Leonard McCoy. Seeing him you cursed inwardly, as you had a huge crush on the doctor and every time you tried to have a normal conversation you started rambling and talking awkward gibberish due to your own nervousness.

The men were bickering forth and back, and while the blond was clearly amused, the doctor’s face showed his annoyance and that he would be rather back in his medbay doing whatever he had been interrupted during.

“Jim, I don’t understand why you need me? You’ve been down there the last five days without me and still nothing happened. Don’t get me wrong, it’s fucking fantastic that the overeager idiots finally learned to not trip over everything dangerous, but can’t just one of the nurses go along? They are more than qualified and I can finally get that damn paperwork that’s piling on my desk done.”

The brunet crossed his arms in front of his chest and threw an angry glance at his friend while letting out an annoyed huff. But Jim being the brave man he was, didn’t get scared easily of his CMO when the guy wasn’t wielding one of his feared hypos. So he just clapped the doctor, who’s mood turned even more sour, on his shoulder and simply laughed.

“Oh Bones, come on. You need to let loose for a while and get a bit away from the Enterprise. Aren’t you normally the first one who wants to get off the ship?”

“That’s on shore leave you idiot, when I can be sure that we won’t stumble over thousand new ways to kill us.”

The blond looked as innocent as possible at his friend, and you felt with Dr. McCoy who walked himself right into that trap.

“But Bones, didn’t you just say yourself that nothing happened so far down there? So it’s pretty safe for you not to die.”

Then he suddenly turned to you.

“What do you say Y/N? Don’t you think Bones should enjoy a nice relaxing walk down on this beautiful planet? You surely would love this grumpy little ray of sunshine as company, right?”

You felt heat creeping up your face, now that their attention lied on you, as you hadn’t expected to get involved into their friendly argument. Or that Jim would call you out on your dumb crush. Damn him and Scotty’s moonshine, being drunk always got you emotional and spilling secrets.

“Uhm, well… The doctor’s right, it’s not as if we really need him. Everything’s gone good so far without him and it’s kinda boring down there if you’ve got nothing to do. So I don’t see the point in him coming with us.”

The Captain’s smile faltered and his face turned into an exasperated grimace of fondness.

Wait, was he trying to help you? So that you could spend some time with Dr. McCoy?

A bit helpless and overwhelmed with the situation you looked at the brunet, who seemed to be disappointed. But why? Thinking about your last words, you realized that you were a bit rude and sounded like you wanted to get rid of him.

Shit.

“Uh, but it’s not like we would mind you to come along… I mean, uhm, it’s quite the opposite, I would be glad if you’d join us.”

The doctor gave you a small smile and stepped up the transporter platform.

“Well, with a nice invitation like that, how could I decline? So let’s get down and see what’s so fascinating about that damned rock.”

Behind Dr. McCoy’s back Jim was grinning like a lunatic and giving you a thumbs up with both hands.

Some other crew mates started to chuckle, clearly trying to hold back their laughter, and again you felt your face heating up.

That fucker. He may have been your best friend, but for this you would make him pay. Couldn’t he at least have given you a fair warning?

The blond menace was the last one to step up before Scotty beamed you down onto the planet’s surface.

 

* * *

 

While you were doing your job in a small wooded area, you and Dr. McCoy got more than once separated from the rest of the team, due to Jim and all his meddling with herding the others away from the two of you.

As Jim’s best friend the doctor surely had to notice that the idiot was up to something, so you felt more than once really awkward and swore to plan your revenge the minute you’d be back on the ship.

Oh how you would make him suffer. If Scotty could be convinced to tamper a bit with the replicators? So that the ship would deny Jim his favourite treat? Normally the man was always up for a little fun.

While you were thinking about your revenge, the doctor did not complain, instead he filled the silence with nice chatter about your work and all the data you already had collected about the planet.

It probably was the first conversation with Dr. McCoy where you were completely at ease and didn’t worry about making a fool of yourself. This was your work, this was what you were proud of and you enjoyed every minute you spent with the gorgeous brunet.

Well, maybe you should overthink your plans for getting back at Jim and thank him instead. Though that surely would make him insufferable.

But still, thinking about how your heart nearly stopped when the doctor told you to just call him “Leonard”, definitely would make up for Jim teasing you to no ends in the coming weeks.

 

* * *

 

After several hours of collecting probes and making notes about your surroundings, you realized that the day was ending and that nightfall was looming upon you.

You weren’t the only one who noticed the imminent approach of the night.

“Y/N, I think it’s time we meet with the others and beam back onboard of the ship.”

Unfortunately he was right, and though you would love to spend some more time alone with Leonard, you packed your equipment together and got ready to leave the planet. Throwing one last glance back to the area where you had spend the afternoon, you suddenly saw little blue lights flashing through the trees.

You grabbed the doctor’s arm, trying to stop him from moving away to where he suspected the others had already gathered.

“Leonard! Look! Can you see that?”

He stopped in his movement, his gaze following the stretch of your arm pointing into the direction of the woods.  

“What do you mean? Those blinking lights?”

“Yeah! Come on Leonard, I want to know what’s going on there!”

And with those words you tagged him back the way you had taken earlier. You felt excitement creeping up in you, as you clearly had an idea what could cause the blue flashing light points in the near distance. But you didn’t want to voice your thoughts before you were completely sure.

“God dammit, are you out of your mind? I don’t think it’s a good idea to stumble around in the dark on a strange planet.”

You laughed at his sudden, but also adorable outburst of grumpiness.

“Oh Leonard, where is your sense for adventure? Also, there’s still some light left. Come on, it’s not as if we couldn’t get back onto the ship anytime!”

Leonard let out a huff and mumbled an annoyed, but also slightly amused “Sense of adventure, my ass.”

After a few steps you could hear the soft but steady rushing of water and you remembered the small stream curving it’s way between the trees you had just admired mere hours before. 

This even amplified the suspicions you were having, causing you to walk faster as you could hardly await the magnificent sight that surely would greet you. When you finally reached the stream you weren’t disappointed.

Hundreds of tiny bright blue dots were dancing through the air, drawing complicate patterns by directing an elegant symphony of movements around each other.

You turned to Leonard who rose his eyebrow up, a broad smile spreading on his face mirroring your own delight and awe you felt rising up in you.

“Are these what I think they are?”

“Yes! Fireflies! Or at least this planet’s equivalent to fireflies.”

You stepped forward into their middle, letting out a squeal of joy when you spun once around yourself. The fireflies parted in their ways, now they were swirling around you and you felt like standing in the middle of stars.

You couldn’t take your eyes of the breathtaking spectacle created by the tiny insects flying around you and the doctor.

“Oh Leonard, isn’t this beautiful? Do you know why fireflies glow?”

“It’s a form of bioluminescence, if I’m correct?”

You grinned brightly at the brunet.

“Yeah, it is! At least it’s like this for the species we have on earth. I wonder if these ones here have any similarities to them? The bioluminescence is their way of finding a mate. They communicate with each other through steady glowing, flashing but also chemicals they don’t use for creating light.”

While you rambled on about fireflies and their mating dances you realized the doctor was staring at you with a strange look in his eyes.

“Do you know how beautiful you are, in this light getting all excited?”

You forced out a dry laugh, it wasn’t fair how the charming man tormented you without even knowing so.

“Be careful doctor, one could get their hopes up with your sweet compliments.”

“And what if I would want you to?”

You whipped your head around to see his very serious face and squeaked a surprised “What?!”

Leonard chuckled, clearly amused about your sudden outburst.

“You heard right, Y/N.”

He stepped closer to you, raising his hand to brush it softly against your cheek. You felt your pulse quicken up, the blood rushing in your ears and you held your breath. He surely couldn’t implicate what you had been hoping for so long?

“What would you say if I asked you out?”

You felt him leaning in for a kiss, but he stopped right before your lips, waiting for your answer.

“Of course I’d say yes!”

Those words broke the final straw holding him back and you closed your eyes, your heart soaring with utter joy as he finally sealed your lips with his own.

A few seconds later you suddenly heard a whooping sound from the nearby bushes. Leonard flinched and broke the kiss. It was obvious that he was clearly annoyed for the disturbance interrupting your sweet moment of togetherness. Looking back you saw Jim high fiving someone from security.

“Are you fucking serious Jim?! God dammit, just wait till I get you!”

But Jim just kept cackling, grabbed the red shirt and yelled into his communicator for Scotty to beam them up. They vanished only seconds later before Leonard could do anything.

Meanwhile you didn’t know if you should be mortified or amused about Jim’s shenanigans, so you tried to repress the smile that threatened to bloom on your face while apologizing to the agitated brunet that was still grumbling threats to the spot where Jim just had disappeared.

“Oh god, I’m so sorry about that idiot, I didn’t know that he was planning something like that.”

But Leonard just smiled softly at you.

“That’s not your fault, you’re not responsible for Jim having no decency, so no reason to feel sorry Darlin’. But don’t worry, I’ve got a physical planned for him next week and I have some special hypos with his name on them.”

He let out a sigh, and it seemed as if he was trying to shake off his annoyance about Jim’s behaviour. Well, he surely would be up for some sweet revenge later.

“So, what do you think, should we go back to the ship, meet up for a late dinner and see where it takes us?”

You felt a grin spreading on your face and excitement running through your veins at the prospect of spending more time with the handsome man in front of you.

“I’d love to, Leonard.”

And while the doctor commed Scotty, you drew one last glance back to the fireflies that were still dancing through the air. You send a silent “Thank you” their way before the transporter beam dematerialized you and brought you back to the ship.


End file.
